Fastned, the Dutch charging infrastructure specialist, has been awarded a significant concession in Belgium. The company has won the contract to develop and operate two fast-charging parks on the E17 motorway near the Flemish town of Gentbrugge, in response to a tender by the Flemish road authority Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer (AWV).
This new project is part of Fastned’s goal to expand its charging network across Europe, and specifically in Belgium, where it currently has 19 fast-charging stations in operation and 24 sites under development. The new sites on the E17 motorway are expected to be the first “motorway service stations of the future” to exclusively serve electric vehicles, providing 12 charging points on each side of the motorway, as well as additional services such as toilets, sandwiches, and coffee.
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Fastned has specified that the charging columns used for these sites will be purchased from EVBox, and they will be capable of delivering 400 kW of power, which will be generated solely from sun and wind energy. The company has emphasized that the charger setup will be suitable for all electric vehicles, including larger vehicles such as caravans and trucks. Construction is set to begin in 2024, and the distinctive yellow Fastned canopies with photovoltaic panels will also be installed.
The tender win in Belgium is a significant milestone for Fastned and demonstrates the confidence the Flemish road authority has in the company’s fast-charging concept. For Fastned CEO Michiel Langezaal, this was “one of the most important tenders in Europe this year” and proves that the company is always able to secure important locations to further expand its network.
Meanwhile, in France, Fastned has opened its largest drive-through location in the company’s network near Metz on the A31. This new location includes 16 charging points, each delivering up to 300 kW of power, and is strategically located about 30 minutes from Bettembourg (Luxembourg) and 55 kilometers from Saarlouis (Germany).
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Fastned has been retrofitting almost 50 stations, which has contributed to the increase in the average number of charging points per station to 5.1 by the end of 2022. The company has set an ambitious goal to build 1,000 stations by 2030, and the new developments in Belgium and France represent significant steps towards achieving this goal.
